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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27157769">Depravity of Man</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account'>orphan_account</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - Fandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Abuse, Brutal death, F/M, Unwanted Pregnancy, rape tw</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 23:35:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Rape/Non-Con, Underage</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,882</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27157769</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>What begins as petty theft from his potions cupboard, ends with Severus finding the limit of what he is able to withstand when it comes to watching Death Eaters torturing the students in his care.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Depravity of Man</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Somebody was stealing from Severus Snape. </p><p>Specifically, from his infamous vault of potions. His mind had instantly suspected it to be the likes of Ginny Weasley, or a member of the so called “Dumbledore’s Army”, whom he knew frequented in the room of requirements in often intervals. How silly they all were to believe he wouldn’t notice, how painfully naive despite the horrors that they endured at the hands of their new Death-Eaters turned Professors. </p><p>Yet something about the magic that lingered around the oak door of the vault was distinctly Slytherin; the scent of secrecy and darkness stuck to his robes in a manner that he could not shake. </p><p>It could be one of his “colleagues” however that produced its own set of doubts. The likes of Yaxley and Dolohov would find no qualms in demanding the potion from Severus himself, and while the Carrow’s were sneaky in a way that made his own skin crawl with disgust; they were also two dense to get through the first set of defence charms. </p><p>It was this regrettable conundrum which led to Severus lurking in the shadows of the corridors in the wee hours of the morning, where not for the first time it occurred to him how profoundly silent Hogwarts had become; not even the portraits whispered for fear of being torn to shreds as many of their neighbours had. There was no chance of running into a student out of bed - those who had been made examples of still spoke with a stutter after the Carrow’s were done with them, nor would he bump into the likes of Filch or Sprout, though he was fairly certain that McGonagall had taken to sleeping in the Gryffindor common room to stand guard. Before he could contemplate the millions of other directions the fate of Hogwarts could have taken after Dumbledore’s death however; the silence was broken by barely audible footsteps quickly approaching his vault. </p><p>He followed the thief silently, his dark robes billowing at his side as his focus closed in on the figure. </p><p>It barely took a second to identify the thief in question; Pansy Parkinson had a distinguishable confident stride that had irked Severus for years. He had watched the girl for years, growing from a snivelling adolescent to a full grown beast with claws, winged eyeliner and a taste for cruelty that had made her the Death Eater’s golden girl of the hour. She had positively flourished under the Dark Lord’s reign; permanently adorned in exquisite fur coats and overall looked much more like a pampered prowess than a school girl. </p><p>However Severus knew better than most about the horrors that could lie beneath appearances; and he was determined to find out what she could want with prohibited potions. </p><p>“Did your parents never teach you how heinous it is to steal, Miss Parkinson?” He drawled, enjoying for a moment as Pansy froze in her tracks and spun to look at him, her raven black hair sweeping by her chin. </p><p>Still, she managed to compose herself with a speed that Severus could almost admire. Almost. </p><p>“I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re referring to, Professor” Pansy responded coldly. She regarded him with calculating eyes, as though he was just another man she could play for a fool instead of a professor who had seen her go through all the awkward phases of puberty; seen the tears and angst and teenage drama before she became the elegant and controlled young woman that the world knew her as. </p><p>“Do not insult my intelligence” he said slowly, enunciating each syllable. </p><p>In turn, Pansy raised a perfectly shaped brow, “Oh, I would never wish to do that, sir”. </p><p>Snape cringed. Was this really the manner in which Pansy had learned to navigate the world? He supposed he should have seen it coming, yet that didn’t lessen the disturbance that boiled in his stomach. </p><p>“I think it’s time you and I had a little chat, don’t you?” he bit back, trapping the girl’s elbow in a vice like grip. </p><p>The change was instantaneous; Pansy’s sneer grew to a viscous snarl, and she bucked desperately from his hold, but to no avail. </p><p>“Get your fucking hands off of me” she hissed, landing a solid kick at his shin. </p><p>“Temper, temper” Severus clucked, as though scolding a child, which infuriated her further. </p><p>When they got to his office, which was lit only by a fire much too small for such a spacious room, Severus pushed Pansy unceremoniously onto a chair, refraining from rolling his eyes as she pushed herself up and crossed her legs. </p><p>Nevertheless, an undeniable panic had settled across Pansy’s face; her dark eyes darted to all the doors in the room, planning an escape. </p><p>Snape wanted this over with; he did not actively enjoy tormenting students of his own house, even if they most definitely deserved it. There were enough Death Eaters controlling the castle to ensure that no student remained content for long. </p><p>“In the last seven days, you have taken it upon yourself to steal-“ he began, reading from a piece of parchment left on the table, “a vile of mandrake blood, crushed dittany leaves and liquified fluxweed” </p><p>Pansy looked away, bored. Yet Snape could her knuckles whiten as she clenched the armchair. </p><p>“If I didn’t know any better Miss Parkinson, I would guess that you’ve been having a bit too much fun, and you have an unfortunate consequence growing in your womb” </p><p>That hit the jugular. Pansy shot up from her seat; eyes blazing, but he calmly blocked her path to the door and drew himself to his full height. </p><p>“It’s none of your fucking business” she seethed through gritted teeth, craning her neck to meet his gaze. Part of him was relieved to see the fury in her eyes; it was the same look he had seen in her for seven years, and could deal with far better than her abysmal attempt at flirting her way out of trouble. </p><p>“Believe me, I rather wish it wasn’t. Perhaps if you and Mr Zabini could come to a mutual agreement as to who should take the anti conception potion, we will never find ourselves in this unfortunate predicament” He said stroicely, yet the flash of pain that crossed Pansy’s face at the mention of her fiancé’s name caused him to stop. </p><p>“Oh dear, trouble in paradise already? I would have expected Nott to be more careful given his position” Severus thought aloud. Theodore had recently taken the dark mark and his family had been steadily rising the ranks. </p><p>“It’s not Theo’s!” Pansy rebuked, disgusted. This made Snape stop short, the image of his god son permeating his vision. </p><p>“Draco?” he half whispered. He would kill the boy himself, if Narcissa didn’t. </p><p>Pansy snorted, “not fucking likely” she rebuked. </p><p>“Then who?” </p><p>Pansy took a step back and swallowed hard, trying to build some resolve. </p><p>“It doesn’t matter. This wasn’t supposed to happen” the last part fell out in a whisper. </p><p>Snape’s patience was wearing thin, there was a knowing sensation in the back of his mind, where his subconscious had already put together two pieces of an alarming puzzle. He closed his eyes for a moment, and thought of all the insults he wished to hurl at Albus Dumbledore, who insisted that this was all part of the grand plan that would help Potter defeat the Dark Lord. It was all very easy for the old git to plan, considering that he knew he wouldn’t be alive to face the stark realities himself. He would never have to watch as eleven year old children writhed under the torture of the cruciatous curse and be forced to wear a mask of indifference. He was not the one forced to ask Pansy the following question. </p><p>Snape drew a breath in and softened his voice in a way that was reserved exclusively for the most frightened, pitiful slytherin first years. </p><p>“Pansy” He said quietly, “the baby’s father isn’t another student, is it?” </p><p>Without warning, Pansy flung a glass jar from the desk across the room, sending small shards in every direction. She brandished her wand and produced a flame that engulfed the thick curtain that shielded the window, and when Snape easily disarmed her, she let out a cry of frustration before turning her frustration towards him. He caught both her wrists in his hands roughly and forced her to look at him. </p><p>“Enough” he ordered bluntly, “you’ll hurt yourself. Tell me who it is Pansy, and I will make it so no one ever needs to know” he had hoped that his words would calm her, but they appeared to have the opposite effect.</p><p>“Don’t you get it?!” She shrieked, her shrill voice bouncing off the walls of the room, “I can’t fucking tell you! He made me make an unbreakable vow, told me he’d kill my little sister if I didn’t let him -“ </p><p>She couldn’t finish her sentence, and broke out into earnest sobs that wracked through her entire body. Severus guided back to the armchair, and perched himself on the table opposite, pinching the bridge of his nose. </p><p>He knew that Death Eaters abused the students at Hogwarts; he had heard the insults and threats to their families over breakfast; seen the seizing bodies fill the beds of the infirmary, and he could find a way to justify it to himself that it was a necessary evil that had to be endured. However, he could not live with himself knowing that students had been needlessly raped due to the depravity of men who were supposed to be under his instruction. </p><p>“Look at me” he demanded, exhaustion evident in his voice. For once Pansy obliged, her puffy and tear stained face making her look more like the child she was rather than the woman she had been forced to become. “I will make you the potion to terminate the pregnancy, I will find out who the perpetrator is and I will have them… removed” he said, meaning every word. </p><p>Pansy sniffed and wiped the tears from her eyes with her sleeve.</p><p>“Do you promise?” She asked, her voice thick. Gone was the facade of brazen adulthood, the girl sat in front of him was terrified and exhausted. </p><p>“You have my word” he said solemnly. </p><p>As he escorted Pansy back to her dorm and bade her goodnight, he would never forget the look she gave him, perhaps because it was the only unguarded expression she had worn in years; one of trust. </p><p>The next morning Severus awoke to the grey hues of dawn filtering through the window, and a distinctly obnoxious banging from the next room. He swore that if it was Bellatrix insisting of wasting his time, he would finally snap and strangle the murderess with her own hair. However as he thundered out his quarters and into the landing, it wasn’t Bellatrix at the door, but Minerva McGonagall’s whose lined face was stricken with such abject horror that it sent an icy wave of fear through Severus. </p><p>“What is it?” he demanded, his voice still thick with sleep. </p><p>“Perhaps it will concern you that your crownies have murdered one of your own. Pansy Parkinson is dead, Severus; they mutilated her body, and her baby’s”.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi, please comment and let me know what you think. I like exploring Snape’s dual morality, and if I was to write one thing similar it would be McGonagall’s reaction to a similar incident.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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